Glew returns to the BTCC grid backed by innovative fan-funded initiative YourRacingCar.com

Fan-funded race team YourRacingCar.com can today reveal the exciting news that racing driver Phil Glew will contest the next rounds of the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship at Silverstone on the weekend of 21/22 August for them.

In order to give fans greater exposure - and as part of long-term plans to move into the BTCC in 2011 - YourRacingCar has agreed a deal with the Special Tuning UK team which will see Glew behind the wheel of a SEAT Leon powered by the next generation touring car engine in the colours of YRC members at Silverstone.

With YourRacingCar electing to make such a high-profile debut in its home event, the team has took the decision to bring in a driver with touring car experience and on the back of his tremendous 2009 championship winning season in the Renault Clio Cup and successful maiden outing in the BTCC earlier this year securing two top-ten finishes, 27 year old Glew was the perfect choice.

Phil also benefitted from working alongside multiple touring car champion Fabrizio Giovanardi over the course of the Thruxton weekend and will now hope to use the knowledge he gained to give the YourRacingCar members reason to cheer.

The British Touring Car Championship is Britain's principal motor racing Championship; with live ITV coverage of each event and massive crowds it is certain to boost Glew's career and gain great exposure for all involved.

The new concept of YourRacingCar was initially conceived – as all good ideas are – on the back of a beer mat, with the team spending recent years competing in the Ginetta G50 Championship and Renault Clio Cup.

The main idea behind YourRacingCar has always been to allow fans to have a greater involvement in motorsport, with those who sign up as YRC members benefitting from a raft of offers while also getting their picture on the team's race car.

It marks the most exciting move yet for one of British motorsport's most ambitious outfits as it seeks to take the fight to some of the top touring car teams around.

Glew commented: "This is a big jump for YourRacingCar and it is a good opportunity for me to build a relationship with YRC for the future, as the BTCC is where I want to be," he said. "I have been successful in other championships and British Touring Cars is the next step.

"I'm the reigning Clio champion so it works well to be joining forces with a team that is moving up from the Clio Cup and it is thanks to my sponsors at Glasurit, 3 in 1 and WD-40 that we have been able to team up with YourRacingCar to make this possible.

"YourRacingCar is a fantastic and exciting concept as it gives fans the opportunity to have added involvement with a team and if we can go out there and get a good result, then it will be a massive bonus to them. If I was a fan, then YourRacingCar is certainly something I'd want to be involved in."

As if moving into the BTCC isn't exciting enough for YourRacingCar and its members, the team will also become the first to run the series' Next Generation Touring Car Engine in something other than a Vauxhall Vectra.

The new turbo-charged two-litre engine is a key component in the future direction of the BTCC as the series seeks to bring down the costs involved in the sport, with YourRacingCar set to play a vital role in its continued development.

"The new engine will be an unknown for us so we aren't completely sure where we stand going into the weekend," Phil added. "We know it isn't going to be easy, but it is good for us to be involved in the development of the NGTC engine as we will be the first people to run it in a car other than the Vectra.

"As a racing driver, I always go out on track to win, but it is important for us not to be unrealistic in our aims with what is an unproven package. Initially we want to be inside the top ten, but with hard work and some luck on our side, I believe that the top six is an achievable target.

"We're a passionate bunch of people," Hannah said. "The BTCC has always been the dream for YRC and all our incredibly loyal fan sponsors. It's with thanks to every member who forked out £25 this year and the faith shown in us by Talent Works, Glasurit, WD-40, 3 in 1 and SEATCupra.net that we can do this in the way we wanted to, with a car that we believe in and we're committed to developing for the future.

Fans who wish to sign up to support YourRacingCar can do so by visiting www.yourracingcar.com, where they can benefit from a special BTCC offer.

For £18, fans can get their picture on the YourRacingCar SEAT Leon while also picking up an exclusive YRC t-shirt designed by Unlap.

About Philip Glew

Philip’s enthusiasm for Motorsport began at an early age. Throughout most of his childhood his family’s business was Motorsport. His parents ran a racing school in the early 80’s, and subsequently developed a successful business managing drivers and teams from Karting to Formula 1.
As soon as Philip could officially start racing he did. At the age of 8 he raced Karts at his local track in Lincolnshire, competing in races on and off until he was old enough to drive a racing car. At 16 he started racing in Formula Ford, which led onto Formula Renault and Formula BMW.

During his single-seater racing career, Philip enjoyed substantial success in all categories including his part season in the 2003 Formula Renault Series where he gave Lewis Hamilton a good run for his money in the early stages of the championship. Unfortunately Philip ran out of sponsorship money forcing him to pull out of the series whilst lying 5th. Lewis went on to win the Championship that year.

The most successful year for Philip’s single-seater career came only a year later in the 2004 Formula BMW Championship where he led the Championship from start to finish, only to be taken out at the 1st corner of the final race, which resulted in him to finish the Championship in second place.

However, on his way to the overall runner up spot, Philip managed; 2 wins, 2 pole positions, 2 fastest laps, 1 lap record, 10 podium finishes and only finished outside the top six once. This also placed him well and truly on the map of future racing stars.

Philip then took a slightly different route from the one he had initially intended; in 2006 he competed in the Prestigious British GT Championship, driving a Porsche 996. The season was very much a new challenge for Philip as this was the first time he had ever raced a car with a roof on it!

The challenge proved to have its highs and lows, as does any form of Motorsport, but the highs certainly made it another memorable season in Philip’s career.

Running consistently at the front of the field, proving his speed once again with; fastest lap at his first ever GT race; fighting from the back of the field to finish 2nd at the flag on the infamous street circuit in Pau, (Southern France) and winning his first GT race around the famous Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit are just some of the defining moments of Philip’s 1st season in GT’s.

Following his successes in the GT Porsche during the 2006 season, Philip was picked up by two teams in different categories to drive for them to specifically try and win the 2007 Championships. He did this on both accounts whilst driving in the Caterham CSR Masters Eurocup Championship for Hyperion taking 4 wins, 7 podiums, 6 pole positions, 6 fastest laps and 4 new lap records out of 8 races.
He also drove in Time Attack as a paid driver, driving a 750bhp Subaru Impreza winning the 2007 UK Championship by winning every round and setting 3 new lap records. This secured his place in the World Finals to compete in Japan in December 2007 where he finished 11th out of 71.

2008 saw another career move for Philip, after starting in single seaters to then move across to GT and Sportscars, he has now tried his skills at something completely new in the form of front wheel drive Touring Cars. He stepped into the hugely popular and competitive Renault Clio Cup Championship at the start of 2008 just before the opening round at Brands Hatch. With only one test day before his 1st race, Philip knew he had a steep learning curve ahead of him as he was finding front wheel drive racing a completely different style and technique of driving. However, a podium position in his 1st ever front wheel drive race gave him the confidence he was looking for, and gave his competitors something to look out for. This then lead to many other podiums throughout 2008 and placed him 3rd overall in the championship.

Philip also took part in selected rounds of the 2008 Time Attack Championship, and once again proved his speed as the reigning champion. The defining moment was when he won at Brands Hatch breaking his own lap record and winning the event comfortably.